The horse-drawn carriages are a picturesque part of historic Bethlehem during the holidays.

Just like the shoppers carrying red Moravian Bookshop bags and the twinking Christmas lights, you can't help but smile each time you see or hear the horses clip-clop past.

But James Hogg said he feared the worse as he drove on W. Union Blvd. on Wednsday night. He saw one horse in the middle of the street, unmoving. A second horse rearing and bucking. Flashing police lights and sirens.

Hogg, of Bethlehem, said he feared the worse and thought a vehicle may have struck the horse.

“I was pretty sure the horse was down for the count,” he said. “I was so upset about it.”

Today, I checked with Bethlehem police Lt. Todd Repsher, the unofficial head of the department’s traffic division.

Repsher said one of the horses apparently stepped on a manhole and went down. Police were called to the area to help control traffic around the injured horse.

But, Repsher said a passing veterinarian happened to be in the area and saw the downed horse, stopping to help.

The horse was able to get up on its own and “went about its merry way,” Repsher said.

Hogg said he was relieved to hear the horse was OK.

“I could not sleep at all last night,” he said. “I feel so much better knowing the horse is OK.”

I’m trying to reach the owners of the Bethlehem Carriage Company for comment.